~ Always Besides You ~

12. Breath of Fresh Air

"Ain't you a little overconfident that we would believe all that you said?" Another came from Swara.

"BAS!" Sanskar yelped. "Are you both some sort of investigators? God! How much questions you both ask? You can ask Mom if you have any doubt. If I'm lying, you can hear, 'This Chora can never change. Always gives tension to my innocent heart'." Sanskar demonstrated Sujatha's to-be reaction his holding head.

The elders who were witnessing the whole scene burst into laughter.

"But beta, travelling such long distance alone; it's dangerous." Shekhar kept his hand on shoulder.

"Uncle, I used to go on such trips early also. Don't worry. It is so relaxing for me." He assured Shekhar. "And Ma'am if you have problem to come with me, I won't force you. I just put forward a choice." Sanskar said to Ragini shrugging his shoulders.

Ragini showed her palms. "Now please don't start your melo-drama again. Papa, I will go with him. Anyways, Dida was asking about this avtar!" She said pointing Sanskar.

"Avtar!!!" Sanskar mouth went in an 'O' shape. "Ragz, you're making fun of me?" Sankar pouted making others chuckle.

Sanskar smiled and bid bye to the Gadodhias along with Swara.

"He is really a nice boy." Dadi Maa commented smiling.

•~•×✿ו~•

"Laksh came." Swara chirped happily seeing Laksh's car outside Maheswari Mansion.

"How was the meeting, Lucky?" Sanskar enquired to Laksh who was in stress, tapping his shoulders.

"That woman is a pure headache, Bhai. I don't know how we are gonna bear her."

"Then say 'No' to the deal. What's the need of bearing such disasters?" Swara asked usually.

"It's not easy Swara. We can't revoke the contract with them." Sanskar massaged his temple with his fingers. "Anyways, don't worry Lucky. It's just a matter of 2 weeks. After that we won't have to handle her." Sanskar again tapped Laksh's shoulder before leaving to his room.

"Is she some sort of chudail?" Swara asked suppressing her laugh trying to ease her husband seeing his irritated face.

"No!" Laksh exclaimed which made Swara surprised. "Worst than that!" Laksh said and chuckled accompanied by Swara.

Swara moved to the balcony enjoying the evening breeze that made her locks flow. Laksh cocooned her from back keeping his chin on her shoulder.

"Ragini decided to visit Dida."

"Hmm. She needs some fresh air. It's a nice decision."

"Do you think that she will move away from us?"

"No. May be she will come back being stronger."

"She also said the same. You understand her well now!" Swara exclaimed.

"Not more than you. And yeah, I tried to think through her perspective during past months. So her intention behind the decision was obvious. Now you're bothered that she will be far away from you; that's why you felt like that."

Swara turned facing Laksh, "And Sanskar? You know about his road trip?" She asked raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah." He shrugged his shoulders. "In fact it was planned two months before. That time a deal made him postpone it. He will be going this week. In fact, it's not a small trip, he will returning only after two or three months. So it's a sort of vacation. We talked about it even yesterday."

"Chachi knows that? She agreed?!" Swara exclaimed.

"He didn't say that clearly to Chachi. All others know about it."

"Does that mean that you will be handling the work of Sanskar also?" Swara asked with wide eyes as realization struck her.

"Yeah, sweetheart!" Laksh pinched her nose. "Aww. You'll miss me for I will be so busy till he returns?"

"Nah! I was thinking about the bad fate of Papa and Chachaji." Swara chuckled on seeing Laksh's mouth going 'O'.

"Hmm, He will be accompanying Ragini to Banaras."

"That's awesome, isn't it?" Laksh snuggled more to Swara.

•~•×✿ו~•

"For god sake Sanskar, which road is this?" Ragini squeaked as she just woke up from her nap and got flabbergasted seeing them passing through places where she couldn't find even one human.

"Why? Do you expect me to drive through the busy National Highway in a road trip? I'm search of some peace, Ma'am." Sanskar knocked her head playfully. "You want tea?"

"Do you travel with stove, milk and tea powder? Or do you have tea in stock?" Ragini rolled her eyes before looking out of the widow enjoying the view.

The jeep came to a sudden halt shocking Ragini. "Are you planning to kill me?" Ragini shrieked.

Sanskar smiled and pointed forward bringing a tea shop to her notice. A tea shop; that too here!

"His business would be bad, no? In such a deserted place." Ragini said while they were waiting for their 'Chais'.

Sanskar pulled her along with him a few meters away. It was a small village down the road. So Serene! Ohh, so this is the 'Chai centre' of the village.

"You know these places?" Ragini enquired surprised.

"It had been a long time, bhaiya." A young boy of nearly sixteen approached with two glasses of tea.

"Chotey, I thought you're not here." Sanskar took the tea and side-hugged that boy.

The boy seemed to search someone after their conversation but a disappointment flashed across his face. He passed a smile to Ragini when Sanskar introduced her and bid bye to them.

There was an unusual silence during their journey after that. Ragini was engrossed in thoughts about that boy while Sanskar seemed to be lost in his driving.

"So.." Both tried starting a conversation and laughed on their timing.

"All well with Laksh?" Sanskar asked to which Ragini just hummed. "He noticed you being silent to him while he came over for Pag phera."

"You had been here earlier?" Ragini asked Sanskar. "With Kavitha?" She completed her question.

Sanskar stared her and smiled a bit. "Yeah, two times. She used to love this route a lot. And that Chai!" He smile reminiscing his sweet memories. "She used chatter a lot with Chotu. Pagal Ladki [Mad girl]!"

"You are living that again? Don't you feel void?"

"I can't refrain from accepting the truth. So just..."

"Hmm, I understood." She smiled. "Swara told me the Sujatha Maa started searching girl for you. Preparing yourself, ha??" Ragini added a teasing tone to distract themselves from the serious talk. "Yaar, it will take double the time if we are going like this."

"So?" Sanskar raised his eyebrow.

Ragini twisted her lips and turned to window enjoying the nature. A genuine smile crawled to her lips while happiness filled her heart. The change she craved; this is it!

"Yeh dosti hum nahi todenge"

The song continued to echo in the car as it was being played by the FM.

~◍☆-✿-☆◍~

So back again!

I felt this like a filler chapter. *rolling eyes* Every chapter feels the same

Thank you everyone for reading, and the lovely votes and comments. Do comment on this also.

Bye! Stay safe